[Town victory] Vanilla Mafia!

[Inkedust]

Altair hadn't been paying that much attention to what was happening around him. He'd met rigging more daunting than the stock theatrics that the dark charizard had conjured up. A ritual? Being consumed by the void for all eternity? Tauroshit. He'd played this game before, he knew better than to fall for these empty threats.

He tuned out as the charizard prattled on about the rules but was slammed back to reality the moment the portal opened fully. In an instant, Altair was assaulted by an intense jab of agony that knocked him off his feet.

C̸͕̗͇͂͛̈̄̉̕ ̸̧̛͔̗̹̺͗̀̓̉̒Ǫ̴̼̆̽͌́͘͜͠͝ ̶̡̪̙̩͉̄̈W̶̨̛͍̳̙͎̳̉͛̈́̑̂̕̕ ̸̲̣͚͉̬̟͚̓̏̃͛̌̆͑͝A̷̧͎̫͙͔̻͋͊̓̐̈͊̑͜͝ͅ ̸̛̜̳̗͍͇̘̳̔̐̾̽R̵̨̨͖̤̺̹̜͑͒ͅ ̸̧̙̜͗̾͆̈́̈́̃͝D̶̡̤̮̗͚̪́̿̎
̸̢̛̙͎͑͐̀͂̃͝͠
̸̡̟̼̘͙͇̔̊ͅY̸̡̡̲̩̙̳̆̀͜ ̵̛̮͙̼̹͖͆͊̐̂̂͝Ò̶̼͔̰̯̰̰̞͘ ̸͚̺̋Û̸͖͕̟͚̺̫͎̎͊̈́͑̔͜͝ ̶̡͉̞̹̖̺̭͉̏̆͒R̴̨̠͓̪̬̙̂̈́͜ ̸̧͕̤͕̦̺̱̎̇͐̈́̅͗̄͝F̷̡̱̖̼̉̽͗̓͗͊̚ ̵̧͍̩̳̬͉̏Ą̶̗̟̪̠͙͎̌̿͐̾̂̏͝ ̸̻̝̹̙̟̲̿͜U̵͖̳̫̹̤̳͊̌̈̊̽͘̚ ̸̖̱̹̟̦̫̌̀̚Ļ̶̝̗̓̂̃͆̚͘͝ ̸̬̼̩̩̱̘͙̔̔̃͊̍́T̷͔͂͗
̴̡̪̩͐̐̈́̉͘͠ͅ
̴͈̞̄̅͠Y̵̼̼͕̳͇͌̋̉̉̊̓ ̸̦̫̙͖̻̩̘̱̔͐̂̏́Ồ̶̧̨̪̪͍̍̐̉̑̕ ̵̢̣͇͕̹̪͍̲͐Ư̴̘̳̟̣̊͗͊̕ ̶͙̳̅̐̍͝Ŗ̵̤̺̙̠̬̝̦̈́͐ ̸̱̘̺̠̼̗̳̍̏̂͗̄͋F̴̨͎͖͚̜̝̜͇̂̎ ̴̻̯͚̽̑̏Ä̶̯͔́́̓̈́̌̑̚ ̷̬̺͜͝Ǘ̵̮͍͔̠̟̫͑̄ͅ ̵͈̊̃͘L̷̪͍̏̒ ̸̡̱̭͛͂̈́͂̿̚T̶͓̙̯͔̻͎͋͆̐̕​

The fuck? I haven't done anything. You don't know shit about me. Altair asserted, scrambling backwards, snarling at the world beyond the portal. He tried to regain his composure, but it was clear to any onlooker that whatever thing had invaded his mind left him deeply unnerved. He didn't notice the charizard leave, only realising that the plane had returned to "normal" when the strange wheeled device tried to deliver the assembled crowd an oh so compelling speech.

LISTEN UP!!!! We can't let that horrible mean guy do stuff like this!!!! I've only known you all for 20 minutes, but it feels like two days! Maybe even... a year, or more! You're my FRIENDS now!!!

Maybe we have no choice but to play the mean guy's game, but you're still gonna be my friends! Because I haven't seen the sky in like a BILLION YEARS and I'm tired of being sad and alone!!!! (ok maybe not a billion years but IT FELT LIKE IT!!!!!!)

And if you have to hurt me because of the mean game... that's ok. Because, I think you all probably want to get out of here and go home. But we can still be friends! And as long as we're friends, the mean dragon guy will never win!

And if we all go to the scary evil death place together, at least we WILL be together!!! And we can figure something out to get out of there!

We can't give up now!!!! Because I believe in you all and I know we can do it! So don't ever give up or I'll be mad at you and you'll be in trouble!

"Phione's tits, you have to be ignorant, braindead or both if you really believe that," Altair growled. "There's no 'making friends' here. You only have folks who are either with you or against you and those who are with you are only with you because they have to, so spare me the Tauroshit."

 

[kyeugh]

"Phione's tits, you have to be ignorant, braindead or both if you really believe that," Altair growled. "There's no 'making friends' here. You only have folks who are either with you or against you and those who are with you are only with you because they have to, so spare me the Tauroshit."

"That's not exactly unique to this reality," Ferry said. "If that's all it takes to make friendship worthless... Well, some life you must be living with that ethos."

"...What an odd duck," Reme muttered, absentmindedly.

Ferry made an expression that was somehow at once a grin and a grimace. "There are stranger ones out there, believe me."

 

[AbraPunk]

He pinched his nose and let out a sigh. “Right. Okay. I’m probably an idiot for doing this, but I’ll accept your apology. And…I guess I should apologize, too. For the…knife and everything. So let’s call it even.” He lifted his head again to give Kent a hard glare. “But if you shoot missiles at me ever again, I’ll make you wish you’d eaten my knife for breakfast. Got it?”

"Got it, chief! No more missiles from me!" Kent giggled. "But at least let me shoot other people if they get on my nerves. Besides, you haven't even seen everything I can do!"

He hesitated for a split second, before slowly summoning a shadowy hand and extending it out to Wes. "So, whaddya say? Shake on it, and we'll be cool, yeah?"

 

[Namohysip]

The sky was beginning to darken... clouds formed once more. And this time, it seemed like it was because night was coming.

Less than 11 hours remain before nightfall.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"But don't you want to get it off? With the right kind of friend I'm sure you can break off that mask!" She gave her an eager look. "Do you have a name yet? Or should I give you a nickname?"

"I had it off a long time ago," Hazel explained, "When it was off, my body fights against itself, and it makes me feel very sick. If someone here was strong, and they had some tools, they could take it off. But then I would be sick again, and we'd have to put it back on."

"But I do have a name! My name is Hazel. My friend gave it to me. It is also the name of a tree. It means things about healing and protection which is why he gave it to me. But when we’re doing our job he calls me Null instead, because our job is to be scary and Null is scarier. You should probably call me Hazel, though, if we’re friends, because then I don’t want to be scary.”

 

[Persephone]

Pixie had found herself in a place that was too warm. There did not seem to be any of her humans around. Oh well. They left sometimes. She went to sleep until it was cooler.

She woke up around sunset. Her humans still were not back. There were also a bunch of humans and Pokémon running around like decapitated torchic. And it wasn’t a familiar place, either.

All things considered, it was probably best to SCREM until one of these new servants gave her answers.

 

[Fusion]

Ferry made an expression that was somehow at once a grin and a grimace. "There are stranger ones out there, believe me."

"Stranger ducks or stranger AI? Because I'm likely to believe either," Reme chuckled.

In an instant, Altair was assaulted by an intense jab of agony that knocked him off his feet.

Reme flinched ever so slightly, and cautiously approached the... whatever that was. Spirit animal. Not, like, a Spirit Animal, but an animal spirit. With a light pouring out of him. "Are you alright? Or are spasms common for whatever you are?"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Why had Salem been selected for this? She wouldn't have volunteered for this. Dusk would be better at this. Dusk would know how to make allies and outsmart enemies. She dug her claws into her palms and waited for the 'ritual' to begin, hoping that she'd have power and wit enough to make it to the end without suffering.

"You got them to make you a morph?" She grinned. "Did you want to be a hero?"

Salem cocked her head. "I wanted..."

How to explain? The words came more easily in this place, but the explanation didn't.

"I wanted a different life," she said, a true enough admission. "I don't know what it'll be like, yet."

There was so much expectant hope in this other morph's face. Something about her earnest questions reminded her of a younger Laura. Salem had the alarming sensation that she was disappointing her. She smiled nervously. The words stalled in her throat.

 

[Inkedust]

"Are you alright? Or are spasms common for whatever you are?"

"I'm alright," Altair said weakly. "Just a small headache," he assured to himself more than the gardevoir.

He turned to look at the now dusky skies. Making a fool out of me you knock-off dragon? Try it again and I'll claw your eyes out. "There isn't much time left," he said plainly. "What happens beyond that portal, I wonder..."

 

[Fusion]

"In that case--" Reme pulled out an Iapapa Berry from her bag, handing it to Altair, "--try this. I do have some other healing and medical items, but you look... starved, or skinny. I don't mean to insult you, also, I just... don't think I've seen a Pokemon like you... assuming you are one."

She looked up into the sky, humming softly. "Considering the one who brought us here, and the people we've come up on, I'll assume whatever happens beyond that portal will be equally as abnormal.

 

[Inkedust]

Altair nodded and took the berry from the gardevoir. "It's just how I look," he said between bites—disappointed in the lack of taste. He tapped the rune on his tail. "I haven't seen a yamask like me before either—though to me, most of the pokémon here look strange."

"I suppose you're right—about the portal." Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine. "Though I certainly don't want to meet whatever might be down there."

 

[Fusion]

"In all honesty, I doubt half the "Pokemon" here are even Pokemon," Reme chuckled. "But, really? You're a Yamask? Quite the upgrade from the poor, tortured souls I've read of in my world. Perhaps the tales of them would be more extravagant or awe-inspiring than sad if they looked more like you. Oh, and I'm Reme. Sorry for the belated introduction."

We could assume no one heard her before, they were all in their own little worlds already anyway.

Reme sat down in the grass, stretching out her arms. "If whatever is waiting for us within that portal is hostile, for whatever reason, I have a feeling there isn't anything to worry about. The humans here would surely grant more than enough of their power in a fight, and... that small dragon already produced some sort of explosive." That being said, Reme held her satchel at the ready. If she needed anything from it, she'd grab it in an instant. "It wouldn't be too much to assume you don't normally get into fights, right?"

 

[Inkedust]

"Yeah, really. The name's Altair, pleasure meeting you." He smirked as he did his introductory bow to Reme. "Strange crowd, huh?" he said as he looked over the gathered crowd which was far more bizarre than the setup he was dealt with last game—there he only needed to worry about not confusing blue and purple-tail. Here there was that strange wheeled device with a pink ducklett-thing inside; a spastic pink ducklett-thing that wasn't inside a wheeled device; whatever that shouty thing was; a purrloin with human features; a human with vulpix features; and some kind of humanoid made of dark metal.

He turned back to Reme. "No, I don't exactly know how to fight—not like this anyway—so I'd be pretty helpless," he chuckled.

 

[Fusion]

Reme chuckled in kind, putting on a light smile. "Well, Altair, should any fights break out and you're caught in them, I'd be happy to assist you. You seem to be more down-to-earth than most others here, and it'd be a shame to lose that sense of normalcy so soon."

"Then again... being in this "strange crowd" is perhaps the most normal thing to me. Even with cartoonish dragons and ducks on wheels... I've been in the middle of more bizarre gatherings," she said, sighing.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Ebony deflated slightly upon seeing everyone suddenly turn anxious after the black Charizard explained the game. So much yelling, and no one even wanted to battle!

She nosed both the Vulpix-human and the Purrloin-human on the arms. "It'll be okay. There's no way we're not gonna win! Or at least, I'm gonna win," she said, drawing herself up proudly. "Back home, I was gonna be a champion, so I'm not scared of anything."

 

[Namohysip]

The skies were dark, approaching twilight. From the ground, Diyem appeared again, his flame standing out even in the sunless sky, absorbing what little light remained around him. His eyes had pinpricks of white light to indicate who he was staring at, if anyone.

"The first night is approaching," he said. "There is a chance that not all of you will see the next morning sun."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Salem petted Ebony's head the way she thought she remembered Laura petting her own. That's what she'd want her to do if she were Ebony.

"I'm going to try my best," she said, quietly. "I don't know what I have to do to win. You don't either. None of us do."

She was petting the head of a pokémon who might very shortly be trying to get rid of her.

She kept going, ears dipping further.

 

[Fusion]

"The first night is approaching," he said. "There is a chance that not all of you will see the next morning sun."

Reme rested her chin on her fist, gazing up at the Charizard. Analyzing him. He was... familiarly foreign. "How reassuring."

 

[windskull]

The develpments were disturbing to sa the least. But... He was a hero, a dark avenger for the downtrodden. He couldn't let an fear show. He wasn't even scared! Yeah! Not scared at all.

She nosed both the Vulpix-human and the Purrloin-human on the arms. "It'll be okay. There's no way we're not gonna win! Or at least, I'm gonna win," she said, drawing herself up proudly. "Back home, I was gonna be a champion, so I'm not scared of anything."

"That's the spirit," afirmed, as if assuring himself as much as he was trying to assure anyone else.

 

[Dragonfree]

"I had it off a long time ago," Hazel explained, "When it was off, my body fights against itself, and it makes me feel very sick. If someone here was strong, and they had some tools, they could take it off. But then I would be sick again, and we'd have to put it back on."

"But I do have a name! My name is Hazel. My friend gave it to me. It is also the name of a tree. It means things about healing and protection which is why he gave it to me. But when we’re doing our job he calls me Null instead, because our job is to be scary and Null is scarier. You should probably call me Hazel, though, if we’re friends, because then I don’t want to be scary.”

Oh. Jean's face fell a little on realizing Hazel already had her best friend, but then perked up again. "Hazel! That's a great name! Is your friend Gladion? The company president's son?" She had a special name to be scarier? That was awesome.

Salem cocked her head. "I wanted..."

How to explain? The words came more easily in this place, but the explanation didn't.

"I wanted a different life," she said, a true enough admission. "I don't know what it'll be like, yet."

Different...? "Well, it's great to be a Pokémorph! You have powers but you still get to do human things! You can join my superhero team if you want! We'll be great!" Jean bounced up and down on her feet.

She nosed both the Vulpix-human and the Purrloin-human on the arms. "It'll be okay. There's no way we're not gonna win! Or at least, I'm gonna win," she said, drawing herself up proudly. "Back home, I was gonna be a champion, so I'm not scared of anything."

"Yeah! We're all going to win!" Ebony was going to be a champion? "Did you have an awesome trainer? Or did you get to be your own trainer?" Jean wasn't sure which possibility was cooler.

Salem was petting Ebony, her ears drooping. "Come on! It's going to be a great time! It's just a game!" She wanted to pet Salem, too. Was that allowed? Will had never wanted her petting him. She decided to just hug her arm a little. "I'm sure we can all learn it together."